From Book News, Inc.
This reference for students and professionals covers the design, operation, and maintenance of fixed wireless access and wireless local loop networks. Telecommunications consultant Clark begins by describing the fundamentals of these networks. The sections that follow cover system and network design, applications, network integration and management. Coverage extends to point-to-point (PTP) and point-to-multipoint (PMP) radio, the calculation of radio system range and reliability, and economic aspects. Twelve appendices include additional information on, for example, ETSI radio specifications for fixed wireless, IEEE publications and FCC standards, and world climate zones and their precipitation characteristics.Book News, Inc.®, Portland, OR


Review
"This reference for students and professionals covers the design, operation, and maintenance of fixed wireless access and wireless local loop networks." (SciTech Book News Vol. 25, No. 2 June 2001)

"Mobile wireless systems have become the ubiquitous means of mass telecommunications over the past 15 years. The early ‘first generation, analogue systems were optimised for voice communications only but the proliferation of differing standards, particularly within Europe led to the development of a common digital based approach. The resulting ‘second generation system, GSM, now dominates the world mobile market; however this system, too, was designed and optimised primarily for voice services, albeit with the option for low speed data over the voice channel. Over recent years, the growth in demand for access to Internet based multi-media enabled mobile telecommunications system. What is now emerging, globally, is a range of proposals under the generic title IMT2000 for a terrestrial system based on five radio interfaces standards and three core network technologies - all of which should provide for full inter-working of services and applications in all continents! Next generation mobile wireless clearly embrace a wide range of technical disciplines and are influenced in no small part by the underlying commercial and political aspirations of the many parties world-wide committed to its successful implementation. Indeed it so difficult for any individual to remain expert in all the necessary areas. Within Europe the adopted approach is know as UMTS. A new radio interface based on WCDMA (Wide Band Code Division Multiple Access) is currently in the final stages of standardisation for a first release (r99) and the initial UMTS system will be based on a GSM core network as enhanced to support the soon to be publicly launched GPRS packet data system. The standardisation work for UMTS is being carried out under the auspices of 3GPP, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project and the editors and chapter contributors of this new book, all of whom are with Nokia, are to be congratulated on providing a detailed description of the WCDMA air interface and its utilisation and in providing a set of references to the appropriate 3GPP Technical Specifications. Chapter 1 introduces the third generation air interfaces, the spectrum allocation, the time schedule, and the main differences from second-generation air interfaces. Chapter 2 presents example UMTS applications, concept phones, and the quality of service classes. Chapter 3 introduces the principles of the WCDMA air interface, including spreading, the Rake receiver, power control, and handover. Chapter 4 presents the background to WCDMA, the global harmonisation process, and the standardisation. Chapters 5-7 give a detailed presentation of the WCDMA standard, while chapters 8-11 cover the utilisation of the standard and its performance. Chapter 5 describes the architecture of the radio access network, interfaces within the radio access network between base stations and radio network controllers and the interface between the radio access network and the core network. Chapter 6 covers the physical layer (layer 1), including spreading, modulation, user data and signalling transmission diversity and handover measurements. Chapter 7 introduces the radio interface protocols, comprising the data link layer (layer 2), and the network layer (layer 3). Chapter 8 presents the guidelines for radio network dimensioning, gives an example of detailed capacity and coverage planning and addresses GSM co-planning. Chapter 9 covers the radio resource management algorithms that guarantee the efficient utilisation of the air interface resources and the quality of service; these algorithms are for power control, handover, admission and load control. Chapter 10 presents packet access in WCDMA and includes the results of dynamic system simulations. Chapter 11 analyses the capacity and coverage of the WCDMA interface at rates up to 2 Mbps. Chapter 12 introduces the time division duplex (TDD) mode of the WCDMA air interface and its differences from the frequency division mode (FDD). A brief overview of the characteristics of multi-carrier CDMA, one of the alternative air interfaces proposed IMT2000 is given in chapter 13. Whilst not a book for the novice, the WCDMA for UMTS does achieve its objective in presenting a detailed description of the FDD operating mode. The TDD mode, which in the opinion of this review will have a very significant part to play in the future of UMTS, particularly given the asymmetric nature of multi-media traffic and the unpaired spectrum allocations available both now and likely as extension bands for UMTS, does not receive all the attention it deserves and, inevitably, the standardisation activities have moved on in both this area and that for packet access since the book was published. And for those seeking an overview of the complete UMTS system, the text does not address the core network for UMTS. That said, this is the first book published to describe the UMTS air interface and I would certainly recommend it as the starting point for anyone seeking a way in to the 3GPP Technical Publications. (Dr Ian Grove, Previously with BT Laboratories, and former Chair of the UK Third Generation Advisory Group, Dr Groves is now an independent telecommunications consultant, IEEE Vehicular Technology Society News)


Review
"This reference for students and professionals covers the design, operation, and maintenance of fixed wireless access and wireless local loop networks." (SciTech Book News Vol. 25, No. 2 June 2001)


Book Description
Wireless provides a means for effective, efficient and rapid deployment of new access networks in areas previously without telecommunications service or short of capacity. Fixed wireless access networks and Wireless Local Loop (WLL) technology are, therefore, playing an important role in the restructuring of the public telecommunications industry.
Written in a highly accessible, well-illustrated and simple-to-read format, this book presents the economics, the practicalities, the technical and operational aspects of planning and maintaining fixed wireless access networks, and explains when and why they are attractive.
Topics covered include:
? Design of radio systems and their basic functionality
? Point-to-point (PTP) and point-to-multipoint (PMP) radio
? Calculation of radio system range and reliability
? Fixed wireless applications and their network integration
Wireless Access Networks is an invaluable and complete reference for all involved in fixed wireless access and wireless local loop, including business strategists, marketing, technical, planning and operations staff of public network operators, as well as students.


Book Info
A complete reference for all wireless access networks and wireless local loop technologies, for business strategists, marketing, technical, planning and operations staff, or students. Offers information on a wealth of topics, from the economics of wireless networks to fixed wireless applications and their network integration. DLC: Wireless communication systems.


From the Back Cover
Fixed wireless access networks and Wireless Local Loop (WLL) technology are effective and efficient means for rapidly creating new access to telecommunications networks and services which are short of capacity and incapable of handling the bitrates expected by today's high speed multimedia, Internet, video and voice services. Wireless Access Networks is a complete reference for all involved in fixed wireless access and wireless local loop, including business strategists, marketing, technical, planning and operations staff of public network operators, as well as students. Well-illustrated and simple-to-read, topics covered include: Economics of fixed wireless networks - why and when they are attractive Technical and operational planning, practicality and maintenance Design of radio systems and their basic functionality Point-to-point (PTP) and point-to-multipoint (PMP) radio Calculation of radio system range and reliability Fixed wireless applications and their network integration


About the Author
MARTIN CLARK'S 'apprenticeship' included international network planning for British Telecom, managing the global corporate network of Grand Metropolitan, setting up Cable Wireless' pan-European Managed Data Network, managing Deutsche Bank's corporate network and helping to found Mannesmann ARCOR (Germany's second largest public carrier). Recently he has been active in the field of wireless access, assisting a number of start-up carriers across Europe. He is a Chartered European Engineer and member of the IEE.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Wireless provides a means for effective, efficient and rapid deployment of new access networks in areas previously without telecommunications service or short of capacity. Fixed wireless access networks and Wireless Local Loop (WLL) technology are, therefore, playing an important role in the restructuring of the public telecommunications industry.

Written in a highly accessible, well-illustrated and simple-to-read format, this book presents the economics, the practicalities, the technical and operational aspects of planning and maintaining fixed wireless access networks, and explains when and why they are attractive.

Topics covered include:

Design of radio systems and their basic functionality

Point-to-point (PTP) and point-to-multipoint (PMP) radio

Calculation of radio system range and reliability

Fixed wireless applications and their network integration

Wireless Access Networks is an invaluable and complete reference for all involved in fixed wireless access and wireless local loop, including business strategists, marketing, technical, planning and operations staff of public network operators, as well as students.

SYNOPSIS

Fixed wireless access and wireless local loop (WLL) are effective and efficient means of providing widespread access to public telecommunications instead of laying cable. This book clearly covers the economics, practicalities, and technical and operational aspects of planning and maintaining a fixed wireless network. Readers will find the information is highly accessible and the concepts are well illustrated.

FROM THE CRITICS

Ian Grove

Mobile wireless systems have become the ubiquitous means of mass telecommunications over the past 15 years. The early 'first generation', analogue systems were optimised for voice communications only but the proliferation of differing standards, particularly within Europe led to the development of a common digital based approach. The resulting 'second generation' system, GSM, now dominates the world mobile market; however this system, too, was designed and optimised primarily for voice services, albeit with the option for low speed data over the voice channel. Over recent years, the growth in demand for access to Internet based multi-media enabled mobile telecommunications system.

What is now emerging, globally, is a range of proposals under the generic title IMT2000 for a terrestrial system based on five radio interfaces standards and three core network technologies - all of which should provide for full inter-working of services and applications in all continents!

Next generation mobile wireless clearly embrace a wide range of technical disciplines and are influenced in no small part by the underlying commercial and political aspirations of the many parties world-wide committed to its successful implementation. Indeed it so difficult for any individual to remain expert in all the necessary areas.

Within Europe the adopted approach is know as UMTS. A new radio interface based on WCDMA (Wide Band Code Division Multiple Access) is currently in the final stages of standardisation for a first release (r'99) and the initial UMTS system will be based on a GSM core network as enhanced to support the soon to be publicly launched GPRS packet data system.

The standardisation work for UMTS is being carried out under the auspices of 3GPP, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project and the editors and chapter contributors of this new book, all of whom are with Nokia, are to be congratulated on providing a detailed description of the WCDMA air interface and its utilisation and in providing a set of references to the appropriate 3GPP Technical Specifications.

Chapter 1 introduces the third generation air interfaces, the spectrum allocation, the time schedule, and the main differences from second-generation air interfaces. Chapter 2 presents example UMTS applications, concept phones, and the quality of service classes. Chapter 3 introduces the principles of the WCDMA air interface, including spreading, the Rake receiver, power control, and handover. Chapter 4 presents the background to WCDMA, the global harmonisation process, and the standardisation. Chapters 5-7 give a detailed presentation of the WCDMA standard, while chapters 8-11 cover the utilisation of the standard and its performance.

Chapter 5 describes the architecture of the radio access network, interfaces within the radio access network between base stations and radio network controllers and the interface between the radio access network and the core network. Chapter 6 covers the physical layer (layer 1), including spreading, modulation, user data and signalling transmission diversity and handover measurements.

Chapter 7 introduces the radio interface protocols, comprising the data link layer (layer 2), and the network layer (layer 3). Chapter 8 presents the guidelines for radio network dimensioning, gives an example of detailed capacity and coverage planning and addresses GSM co-planning. Chapter 9 covers the radio resource management algorithms that guarantee the efficient utilisation of the air interface resources and the quality of service; these algorithms are for power control, handover, admission and load control.

Chapter 10 presents packet access in WCDMA and includes the results of dynamic system simulations. Chapter 11 analyses the capacity and coverage of the WCDMA interface at rates up to 2 Mbps. Chapter 12 introduces the time division duplex (TDD) mode of the WCDMA air interface and its differences from the frequency division mode (FDD). A brief overview of the characteristics of multi-carrier CDMA, one of the alternative air interfaces proposed IMT2000 is given in chapter 13.

Whilst not a book for the novice, the WCDMA for UMTS does achieve its objective in presenting a detailed description of the FDD operating mode. The TDD mode, which in the opinion of this review will have a very significant part to play in the future of UMTS, particularly given the asymmetric nature of multi-media traffic and the unpaired spectrum allocations available both now and likely as extension bands for UMTS, does not receive all the attention it deserves and, inevitably, the standardisation activities have moved on in both this area and that for packet access since the book was published. And for those seeking an overview of the complete UMTS system, the text does not address the core network for UMTS.

That said, this is the first book published to describe the UMTS air interface and I would certainly recommend it as the starting point for anyone seeking a way in to the 3GPP Technical Publications.

SciTech Book News

This reference for students and professionals covers the design, operation, and maintenance of fixed wireless access and wireless local loop networks.

Ian Grove

Mobile wireless systems have become the ubiquitous means of mass telecommunications over the past 15 years. The early 'first generation', analogue systems were optimised for voice communications only but the proliferation of differing standards, particularly within Europe led to the development of a common digital based approach. The resulting 'second generation' system, GSM, now dominates the world mobile market; however this system, too, was designed and optimised primarily for voice services, albeit with the option for low speed data over the voice channel. Over recent years, the growth in demand for access to Internet based multi-media enabled mobile telecommunications system.

What is now emerging, globally, is a range of proposals under the generic title IMT2000 for a terrestrial system based on five radio interfaces standards and three core network technologies - all of which should provide for full inter-working of services and applications in all continents!

Next generation mobile wireless clearly embrace a wide range of technical disciplines and are influenced in no small part by the underlying commercial and political aspirations of the many parties world-wide committed to its successful implementation. Indeed it so difficult for any individual to remain expert in all the necessary areas.

Within Europe the adopted approach is know as UMTS. A new radio interface based on WCDMA (Wide Band Code Division Multiple Access) is currently in the final stages of standardisation for a first release (r'99) and the initial UMTS system will be based on a GSM core network as enhanced to support the soon to be publicly launched GPRS packet data system.

The standardisation work for UMTS is being carried out under the auspices of 3GPP, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project and the editors and chapter contributors of this new book, all of whom are with Nokia, are to be congratulated on providing a detailed description of the WCDMA air interface and its utilisation and in providing a set of references to the appropriate 3GPP Technical Specifications.

Chapter 1 introduces the third generation air interfaces, the spectrum allocation, the time schedule, and the main differences from second-generation air interfaces. Chapter 2 presents example UMTS applications, concept phones, and the quality of service classes. Chapter 3 introduces the principles of the WCDMA air interface, including spreading, the Rake receiver, power control, and handover. Chapter 4 presents the background to WCDMA, the global harmonisation process, and the standardisation. Chapters 5-7 give a detailed presentation of the WCDMA standard, while chapters 8-11 cover the utilisation of the standard and its performance.

Chapter 5 describes the architecture of the radio access network, interfaces within the radio access network between base stations and radio network controllers and the interface between the radio access network and the core network. Chapter 6 covers the physical layer (layer 1), including spreading, modulation, user data and signalling transmission diversity and handover measurements.

Chapter 7 introduces the radio interface protocols, comprising the data link layer (layer 2), and the network layer (layer 3). Chapter 8 presents the guidelines for radio network dimensioning, gives an example of detailed capacity and coverage planning and addresses GSM co-planning. Chapter 9 covers the radio resource management algorithms that guarantee the efficient utilisation of the air interface resources and the quality of service; these algorithms are for power control, handover, admission and load control.

Chapter 10 presents packet access in WCDMA and includes the results of dynamic system simulations. Chapter 11 analyses the capacity and coverage of the WCDMA interface at rates up to 2 Mbps. Chapter 12 introduces the time division duplex (TDD) mode of the WCDMA air interface and its differences from the frequency division mode (FDD). A brief overview of the characteristics of multi-carrier CDMA, one of the alternative air interfaces proposed IMT2000 is given in chapter 13.

Whilst not a book for the novice, the WCDMA for UMTS does achieve its objective in presenting a detailed description of the FDD operating mode. The TDD mode, which in the opinion of this review will have a very significant part to play in the future of UMTS, particularly given the asymmetric nature of multi-media traffic and the unpaired spectrum allocations available both now and likely as extension bands for UMTS, does not receive all the attention it deserves and, inevitably, the standardisation activities have moved on in both this area and that for packet access since the book was published. And for those seeking an overview of the complete UMTS system, the text does not address the core network for UMTS.

That said, this is the first book published to describe the UMTS air interface and I would certainly recommend it as the starting point for anyone seeking a way in to the 3GPP Technical Publications.

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